Whether the title is CMO, VP or Marketing Director, the lead marketer at a company has a large, and sometimes seemingly insurmountable job. A good marketing leader can’t operate in a silo. They need to develop key relationships in other functional areas. By focusing on relationship building early in your tenure, you can help to improve processes, integrate messaging and develop a more full brand experience for your audience. Plus, you’ll gain insights for your team to help build and optimize the marketing strategy.

By now, you’ve likely heard the news of Patagonia’s billionaire founder Yvon Chouinard (and family) relinquishing ownership of the business and committing the profits to fight the effects of climate change. For a business leader and a company that has been vocal about its commitment to sustainability and the environment for decades, this is their biggest stand yet — and arguably the most impactful move we’ve seen any major business take on an issue.

So, what can brands learn from Patagonia about purpose-driven marketing?

It’s officially football season, and whether or not you’re a fan, you know it. (American) football in the United States is a large subculture. So, how does football achieve this level of subscription and consumer loyalty? Putting aside any fans’ genuine “love of the game,” when it comes to the NFL, investment in a lot of strategic and innovative business and marketing decisions over decades have built the money-making, consumer engagement machine that is professional football.